Closing on time is "insensitive"?

[Dreamstalker]

We're getting a new SM, again. This week there have been two new silver-nametag faces in the store, and I'm not sure which one is the new manager.

I was the closing cashier last night, a job that I generally despise; not only do I get bored very easily, I'm too tall for the keypad (always have to look down), so if I'm standing behind one for more than 2 hours my back starts killing me and I get understandably grumpy.

At 11:04, SM1 (who was bagging for me in an effort to get everyone out of the store) gets on the PA and calls out the only remaining customer "Attention lady in the maroon blouse. The store closed five minutes ago. Bring your items to the front NOW."

SC throws her crap on the belt, smashing my finger between a gallon of OJ and the keyboard. Then feels the need to tell me exactly what the price of everything is...I may be dog-tired but I'm not as dumb as you seem to think.

Then spreads a bunch of coupons on the belt (forcing me to stop it so I can't reach her final items). After I get the ones I can use..."Why is the total so much? It shouldn't be so high! What did I buy? Did you swipe my card?"
Me: "Yes, I scanned your store card. [shows her on the monitor "Price With Card"]
SC: "Are you sure?"
Me: "Ma'am, we're closed. The register is about to shut down, I need to finish this transaction. Are you paying by debit or credit?"
SC: "Wait, I want to know what I bought. Can you show me how I spent so much?"
SM: "We're closed. You need to pay now and leave."
SC: "I will, but I don't think I should have to pay $40!"
SM: "We are now closed. If you think there's been a mistake you can come back with your receipt tomorrow morning."
SC: "Well, that's not very good customer service! You are being insensitive to the needs of the customer!"
SM1: "The store is CLOSED. You are being insensitive to the needs of my employees."

As we crossed the parking lot, FEM mentioned that after the posted closing time, any non-employees in the building were technically trespassing...

It sounds like this SM has a head on his shoulders with regards to getting the closing crew out on time, which is nice. (I can see why Corp would get annoyed about all the late punch-outs coming from my store)

[Jay 2K Winger]

It sounds like this SM has a head on his shoulders with regards to getting the closing crew out on time, which is nice. (I can see why Corp would get annoyed about all the late punch-outs coming from my store)

I like this new SM of yours. Get him to the cloning vats, stat!

[NateTheChops]

Well here's to hoping all of the lower management is behind him and doesn't take to cutting corners when he's not around. I've seen that happen all to often to the good ones and more often than not, that's the reason why an SM like him doesn't stay around long.

[thatcrazyredhead]

Super awesome manager! When I worked at Hallmark, I used to tell people, "Our store closed five (ten, fifteen ) minutes ago. We open tomorrow at ten. You're welcome to come back and find what you need then." Didn't go over so well, but I worked two jobs. I'd been working since 8am and by 9pm I was ready to go the frell home.

[sylvier]

Closing time is closing time, not a suggestion. Go home folks!

[Kheldarson]

Closing time is closing time, not a suggestion. Go home folks!

Wait, I thought you didn't have to go home but you couldn't stay there?

[Mr Hero]

Wait, I thought you didn't have to go home but you couldn't stay there?

I know who I want to take me home.

[Dreamstalker]

We used to have that song on the rotation at ten til, and it would mysteriously be louder than the other songs...but they did away with it for some reason.

When she trotted out the 'insensitive' line, SM1 and I just looked at each other and didn't even try to hide our WTF reaction. She was back last night SM1 wasn't around, but FEM did a pretty good job of forcing her out (continued the 'registers are centrally controlled and about to shut down' charade--sometimes I wish that were true).

[XCashier]

SC: "Well, that's not very good customer service! You are being insensitive to the needs of the customer!"
SM1: "The store is CLOSED. You are being insensitive to the needs of my employees."

I agree, your SM must be cloned and distributed around the world, STAT!

[Mondestrucken]

And just why would she come back a second time right before closing?!? Bitch.

Keep your new SM, use leg shackles if you have to. He's a keeper.

[Dreamstalker]

I really hope he's our new SM; he seems much more security-minded than our old one.

My town has a few residents who have nothing better to do than make workers' lives miserable; I hadn't seen this particular SC before but now I think she's one of that group. An argument for a ban-list if there ever was one...if SM1's main concern is getting the closers out on time (one of the few corporate edicts everyone can get behind), maybe I can bring up this cadre of SCs that like to dawdle.

[Raveni]

Was the SC insensitive to the employees, of course!

Was the SM insensitive too? I'd say yes. He started out signaling out the customer, which some people perceive badly. If there was only one customer left (and the doors were locked to keep more out) he could have walked up to her, pointed out that she may not have known that the store was closed and the registers were about to shut down, and escort her from the building.

[Kagato]

Was the SC insensitive to the employees, of course!

Was the SM insensitive too? I'd say yes. He started out signaling out the customer, which some people perceive badly. If there was only one customer left (and the doors were locked to keep more out) he could have walked up to her, pointed out that she may not have known that the store was closed and the registers were about to shut down, and escort her from the building.

Some shops have specific policies to call out stragglers over the intercom system since for all they know, the person could be waiting for the customers to leave so that they can rob the premises.

Staff member: I'm sorry sir/madam, we are closing for the night, so you will have to finish your transaction or leave...
straggler: excellent... *pulls out gun and uses staff member as a hostage (or in the case of a cashier, simply robs their register)

[Dreamstalker]

Got it in one. My store's security is a joke compared to the other locations. For some reason as the weather gets colder the more nuts we get at closing; I don't want one of the crazies to brain me with a gallon of milk or worse.

If we got a grocery load in that night, pallets can obstruct views from the front end and slow down a walkthrough (if a pallet's in the middle of an aisle, that generally leaves a 6" gap to squeeze through, and if the pallet isn't wrapped or carrying something light like paper towels that can get dangerous).

[greensinestro]

I wish your manager had been at my store twenty five years ago. When I was at Publix, managers never worked to force customers to leave. We closed at ten, and one night we were stuck until almost 1130pm because of this fat assed bitch who took her time, and checked out with a fully loaded cart. Then everything had to be double bagged for her, and make sure we did it this way and that. Then, the poor bagger that had to take her shit out to her car was the one that had to listen to Bible rantings when he wanted to get back into the store, and then clock out.

And why do people like this always ask things like "how did I spend so much? That can't be right?" Don't these people have any concept to anything, like keeping track of what's in their cart?